Heart Foundation's MyMarathon

My Activity Tracking

67.6 km

42 km

Day 29

Our day started with an alarm at 5am. We have set forward on an adventure starting at Echuca and left our cars at home.

We walked a total of 7.0km starting from home, between our 2 trains and bus and all over Echuca where we declined the suggestion of catching a taxi to our hotel.

The historic waterfront (where Leon is seen in the previous photo) is beckoning us tomorrow when we set off on the paddle steamer, PS Emmylou.

It was a very warm day and I enjoyed 20 laps of the small pool and a lovely hot spa.

In case we have no further internet reception, thank you everyone on my team for your great efforts. Well done!

I will be in touch with our final team results at the end.

Day 27 and 28

Despite lots of exercise: zumba, gardening, using a hand mower and packing, I only added 0.5 kms to my marathon count.

Where did we go next? Leon was dwarfed by the tree above?

Day 25 & 26

On Wednesdays, we walk and meet our grandkids after school and walk home together via 2 supervised school crossings. Whilst some families need to drive from work or other places, it is always great to see that many children are getting regular exercise and healthy habits by walking to school.

Today was one of my longer walks. I took my sunglasses which weren't needed but left my raincoat at home causing several faster steps between rain showers. It reminded me of Kim's pace which we used to do at Girl Guides when you walk 20 steps and run 20. Sadly, I haven't been up to running for many years but "Kim's Pace" certainly gets the heart thumping.

Day 22, 23 & 24

You often hear about walking groups which meet at shopping centres before the shops open. I always thought it sounded dull but when the rain bucketed down on Sunday, we decided to detour through the shopping centre to get some shelter on our way home from Tai chi.

It was inside the library today with teacher, David whose comfortable easy manner and moves invite us to challenge our balance and coordination.

October has been such a busy month for us. I had hoped to venture out to some new walking trails for the MyMarathon. Instead, I've had to settle for walks to appointments like my individual and group physio on Monday and Tuesday. Fortunately, there are several picturesque ways to go out or come home and there's nothing like running late to transform your walk into a cardio event!

Day 20 & 21

Plenty of cardio exercise at Friday's Zumba class but had to wait till Saturday's walk in my neighbourhood to cross the marathon finish line.

Guess I may have to reset my target as we still have 30% of the month to go. When I got back, I was so excited to see a pair of Eastern Rosellas opposite our house, a bonus to my Birds in Backyards Bird count this week.

Day 18

A beautiful sunny day for Leon and I to meet cousin John & Jane (from NSW) at McClelland gallery and sculpture park. We started on our Belcher Family Lake Walk then a coffee before walking right around all the sculptures with a stop for lunch and a bit more walking. There was a lot of catching up since Dad's 90th birthday, almost 4 years ago.

We moved on to semi-rural Pearcedale to see Alan & Gill who were on our MM team in 2021. Gill and I walked a further 1.7 km as we soaked up stunning views of their area.

Day 15 & 16

On Sunday, I walked to the library for a well attended Seniors Festival session. It was conducted by David from Dragon Tai Chi in the library forecourt. I was lucky to enjoy it rain-free.

Today, I walked again to the physio but decided to extend the walk a different way with tree pruning and concreting works blocking part of the highway.

In the afternoon, I walked with my afternoon group, but took a shortcut home to start my week of observations for the Birds in Backyards Project. It started drizzling....

Day 14

There was rain early and big threatening clouds but our team met in the café at The Nest on Waterways. We were lucky to complete the 4km walk around the outer waterway without rain and a great opportunity for team members to become acquainted. We missed Chris and Lyn, doing ParkRuns in Brisbane and Melbourne at the time and Zak, our youngest member.

Day 13

Zumba was fun again this morning. But it doesn't score any km's for our challenge, so Leon & I donned raincoats and walked to Oliver's corner near the Frankston pier where we indulged in pots of hot, spicy chai.

Days 10, 11 & 12

All shortish walks unfortunately. Tuesday walked to the foreshore working bee, followed by Cardiac Rehab volunteering and physio group with no time to go further.

Wednesday afternoon walking with some of our group with a shortcut home.

Thursday, Leon and I walked with one of our sponsors, Di and her partner along some of our beautiful Kananook Creek trail. Di is one of my physio friends from my days at the Spastic Society's Chelsea centre more than 45 years ago.

Day 8 & 9

On Sunday, Leon and I walked to the Frankston Beach Assoc AGM and were inspired by Dr Greg Moore who spoke on the value of trees!

We later did a loop walk on the Kananook Creek trail and back via the beach.

On Monday, I walked to the physio and got a bonus half hour walk around the creek trail when he was running very late. Reed has helped me especially before and after my knee replacement surgery in March this year.

In the afternoon, I joined my afternoon walk group part way and then detoured to the P.O. and other places. It is so handy to live walking distance to a shopping centre and great for Heart Health to be able to walk and avoid using the car.

Day 6 &7

Day 6 was Zumba and another school pickup walk.

Day 7 we walked at McClelland Gallery and then at the adjacent Studio Park. It was full of flowering native and indigenous plants. This turned out to be another dismal cardio walk as I stopped to take photos and enter data on my iNaturalist App. This Love Creeper was entwined around Bracken.

Day 5

It's Seniors Week and one of my two walks today is a guided walk in the Sweetwater Creek Reserve. Amongst the group were some MM supporters and friends from my neighbourhood afternoon walking group. It's not exactly a good cardio walk as we stopped frequently to observe plants, wildlife and the creek environs.

DAY 2, 3 & 4

On Monday 2nd, I walked with Peta (from our team) and some of our Heart Foundation Walking group in the beautiful George Pentland Botanical gardens in Frankston.

Tuesday 3rd was too wet to walk although I volunteered at Cardiac rehab and did work hard at my physio group on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday 4th, I walked to Officeworks in the morning. Leon and I walked to pick up our grandkids from school and walk them home. This school walk was 1.4 km return which the children do every day. It's a great way to develop healthy habits.

HOW IS MY WALKING GOING?

I am staying on track to achieve my target of 1 marathon or 42 kms this month.

DAY 1

Leon and I walked on the Kananook creek trail near our house. There is always lots to see, including this White Faced Heron on the muddy banks.

Support my challenge for Australian hearts

This October, I’ll be doing my personal best to walk regularly and raise funds to support The Heart Foundation.

I’m going to conquer 42 km to raise funds for heart disease research that will help save lives.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia, and I want to do something to support the thousands of Aussies whose lives are impacted by this disease every single day.

Join me and help save Aussie hearts by making a donation to my page.

Together, we can win the race against heart disease.